Lumaha'i River
| Lumaha'i River | |
|---|---|
| Country | Hawaii, U.S. |
| Basin features | |
| Main source | Central mountains of Kauai 430 metres (1,410 ft) |
| River mouth | Lumaha'i Beach |
| Basin size | 23 square miles (60 km2) |
The Lumaha'i River (ahupuha’a) is a river of northern Kauai, Hawaii, US. It begins in a narrow, high-walled valley in the central mountains and enters the Pacific Ocean on the northwestern coast of the island, just east of Wainiha, on the western edge of Lumaha'i Beach. Unaffected by development, its pristine waters contain populations of o'opu (Stenogobius hawaiiensis) and hihiwai (shellfish) as well as the Hawaiian coot. During heavy rainfall in winter and spring, it is prone to flooding. The Lumaha'i River Bridge traverses the waterway.
The Lumaha'i River rises in the central mountains of Kauai at an elevation of 430 metres (1,410 ft). It drains a catchment area of 23 square miles (60 km2). After flowing through a narrow valley with cliff banks, it opens out midway along its course into a wide valley, where the banks of the river are steep. The river debouches into the Pacific Ocean on the northwestern coast of the island, just east of Wainiha, on the western edge of Lumaha'i Beach. The beach at the western end, formed at the mouth of the river, is called the Lumaha‘i Beach which is located 1.4 miles (2.3 km) to the northwest of Hanalei. Measuring 4,000 feet (1,200 m) in length, the beach has rocky features at the mouth of the Lumaha'i River, which results in treacherous "rip currents". The beach is remembered as the scenic location for a song sequence in the 1958 film South Pacific.
Rock formations at the mouth of the river are of a red colour, and are known as Ka-‘alele, meaning "messenger". Even during low tides, the waves on the beach are very strong, with no reefs in the waters. A black lava formation abuts the west bank near the mouth which is named Ke-alelo-O-Pilikua, meaning "tongue of Pilikua".
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